Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-07-20
The Nicaragua Canal.
[From the Richmond Dispatch.

from the Richmond Dispatch.1
In an editorial in your paper of July ID
instant, headed ''The Ship Railway" you
insert clipping from the New Orleans
Times Democrat which contains the follow
ing language: s'And now that the Panama
and Nicaragua canals are shown not to be
among the possibilities, it is to be expected
that all those who want route across the
lsthmus will give their aid and backing to
the only practical transit between the At
lantic and Pacific remaining" You then,
IN your editorial commenting on the above,
further say ''It (the ship railway will
make its own business, for the Panama
scheme and Nicaragua scheme will be out
OF the way" These are rather strong ex-
pressions to make use of in regard to these
two proposed great improvements, and
while the writer would be glad to see such
an enterprise as the "Eads'' railway car
ried out to completion, yet he is sure,
Messrs. Editors, had you or the editor of
the Times Democrat been more fully posted
about what is going on now about the
Nicaragua canal, you would not class it as
being ''not among the possibilities. For
now at this very hour the Nicaragua Canal
Association is very live body in the city
of New York, organized by and in the
ness-men, such as Judge DAILY, Francis A.
Street. Ex-Governor Cornell, Admiral Am
men, United States navy, Commander Tay-
lor, United States navy, Hiram Hitchcock,
&C.. who mean business, and intend to
push the scheme to success, for they have
every assurance of financial aid and back
ing in so doing. The writer of this has
now before him copy of the treaty and
concessions made by the republic of Mica
ragua under date April 20, 1887, to the
Canal Association. These concessions are
in themselves of immense value and are of
such character as to command the atten-
ton of capitalists.
This scheme years back has been favored
by many of our most leading men, and later
on it has received the endorsement of Presi-
dent Grant and of Our present Executive,
as well as the full sanction of Mr.. Secretary
Bayard-see his letter to Canal Association
under date January 7, 1887, as we'll as the
report of the Senate Committee on Foreign
Relations, approving the act of incorpora-
ton, under date January 6, 1887. For full
Ter and further information on all these
matters see the detailed and exhaustive
paper read by Captain Taylor, United
States navy, before the New York Geo
graphical Society short time since. 1t IS
convincing to all thoughtful men.
For years back Reconnaissance Of this
route have been made by various parties,
but the first complete survey was made by
Captain C. p. Lull, United States navy, in
---. This report was exceedingly
favorable, but since then a much more
close and accurate survey was made last
year by MIR. A. G. Menocal, United States
engineer, and his report shows perfectly
feasible route at q reasonable cost for such
work, with no engineering problems OF
any enormous magnitude to overcome, and
that it will be financially a great success.
In detail we may say the canal will be
ITO miles long, of which 40 miles is canal
proper and 1870 miles the river St. Juan and
Lake Eicaragua--this latter $50 miles
forming the summit level ITO feet above
tide, and being approached On the Atlantic
side by three locks and on the Pacific by
four locks-in all seven locks. The heaviest
cutting On the western end viii average Al
feet and that on the eastern end 1870 feet
The proposed size of the canal is 50 feet
wide at the bottom in deep cuts and t20
feet in the terminal cuts and other enlarged
sections, tie width at the surface of the
water being so feet in deep rock cuts and
lS4, 286, and 342 feet at other points,
Locks $50 feet between mitre stills and 10
feet width Oh chamber.
It is estimated that the canal and It's &C
cessories can be completed in six years, and
its cost, including 20 per cent for c0ntin-
gencies, is put down at $50, coo, 000. Its
probable net receipts at first at $4,000, goo
per annum.
Finally, the writer will only quote the
final paragraphs of Mr.. Menocal's report,
as follows:
every figure given in these estimates Of
cost Of construction and Of business Of this
great undertaking is the result not only of
the most careful consideration, by which
all doubtful elements have been eliminated,
but every statement is based on anim-
peachable data--in fact, it may safely be
said that no unsolved problem OF such mag
nituds has ever had more reliable data on
which to base q calculation of cost, bust
ness, and profit
In conclusion, it is TO be hoped that the
year 1892, the fourth centennial anniversary
of the discovery Of America, may see this
waterway completed, and thus unite the
two oceans that wash our eastern and
western shores.
NJ. Il. PoITIAUX,
Civil Engineer.
I'll,